By Daniel Viles
The 2024 Jarah Corporate Pride Round is the fifth time that every team in the Bond University QAFLW and the Reserve Grade competition will play on the one day at the one venue. South Pine Sporting Complex, venue for five AFLW matches in 2017 and 2018, hosts for the first time.
All matches will be live streamed with commentary.
WILSTON GRANGE v YERONGA SOUTH BRISBANE
Saturday 13 July 2024, 10am at South Pine Sporting Complex, Brendale
Live stream with commentary on YouTube
Head-to-Head: Played 24 – Yeronga won 18; Wilston Grange won 6
Last time they met: 11 May 2024 (Round 5) – Wilston Grange 6.5 (41) d Yeronga 3.4 (22) at Leyshon Park
In the final match of 2022 Pride Round, Yeronga defeated Wilston Grange for the eighth consecutive time. When next they met, the Gorillas broke a 14-match losing streak and are now looking for their fourth consecutive win over the four-time premiers.
Mia Geere returns for the Gorillas from the Queensland Under 18 side due to limits on Under 16 players, while former high jumper Emily Keehn celebrates that event’s world record being broken this week with a return to first grade. Her ruck battle with the in-form Peppa Poultney will be an influential component of the match.
Yeronga regains Madi Goodwin, another renowned vertical leaper, whose versatility may see her shifted throughout the match to shut down any Gorilla showing signs of cutting loose.
A win for Grange would be its sixth for the year, its most since 2018, and keep its admittedly slim finals hopes alive.
However, Yeronga has clearly had enough of losing. They came very close to knocking off Coorparoo last week, trailing by just one point at three-quarter time, and few have forgotten their Pride Round performance 12 months ago when they led Aspley by 28 points at half-time but perhaps didn’t truly believe in their own ability to finish the job.
The Devils know that no team wants to be the one against whom they make their breakthrough victory, so they can take advantage of any resulting hesitancy in their opponents.
COORPAROO v UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND
Saturday 13 July 2024, 12pm at South Pine Sporting Complex, Brendale
Live stream with commentary on YouTube
Head-to-Head: Played 24 – Coorparoo won 20; UQ won 4
Last time they met: 11 May 2024 (Round 5) – Coorparoo 11.5 (71) d University of Qld 7.3 (45) at Base Architecture Meadows
The most inexplicably one-sided rivalry in the Bond University QAFLW. In 2022, UQ broke Coorparoo’s streak of ten consecutive wins but have lost the three matches since. The Red Lionesses’ 2021 premiership side lost twice to the Kings. The Kennett Curse has nothing on this.
A win for Coorparoo will end this year’s finals race and ensure that, for the first time on record, the same teams contest the Bond University QAFLW finals in consecutive years.
A win for UQ would keep them in finals contention. Given that the Kings’ last two matches are against Southport and Aspley, the final round U-Clash (UQ v Bond Uni) could be more important than currently thought.
Small forward Macie Brown returns from injury to play her first Bond University QAFLW match since 2022 Pride Round. Brown’s reunion with her doppelgänger Chelsea Chesterfield gives the Kings a forward 50 energy that they haven’t had since… well… since Brown last played. Defender Mia Teubler also returns to the 21.
Edie McCabe kicked two goals against Coorparoo in Round 5 and is one of four ‘ins’ for the Red Lionesses. The speedy Eva Sartor and the powerful passing of the Roy sisters, Gracie and Laura, complete a skilful quartet. One could argue that Gabi Simpson is a fourth-and-a-half inclusion given that she doesn’t have to leave at halftime this week to be fêted by her former sport.
That Round 5 match was the highest scoring match of this year’s competition with 18 goals. UQ’s 45 points is comfortably this year’s highest losing score (next best is 34 by Maroochydore, also against Coorparoo).
Three of those 18 goals were scored by Coorparoo stalwart Jenae Govan, currently on 98 career goals in the state league. It is not merely possible but probable that both Govan and Southport’s Megan Hunt could bring up their centuries on the same day in front of the whole league.
ASPLEY v BOND UNIVERSITY
Saturday 13 July 2024, 2pm at South Pine Sporting Complex, Brendale
Live stream with commentary on YouTube
Head-to-Head: Played 12 – Bond University won 9; Aspley won 3
Head-to-Head at South Pine Sporting Complex: Played 1 – Bond University won 1
Last time they met: 11 May 2024 (Round 5) – Aspley 7.5 (47) d Bond University 3.2 (20) at Bond University Oval
The top three teams in this year’s Bond University QAFLW are Aspley, Southport and Bond University, but in which order?
Both of last year’s Grand Finalists have been overrun by Southport in the last month. Aspley has led the competition all season but needed big final quarters to beat Maroochydore and UQ. Bond were impressive against Coorparoo two weeks ago but is struggling with injuries and had to dig deep against Wilston Grange last Saturday.
More broadly, Aspley is not yet assured of a top two place, much less the minor premiership. Bond Uni has finished in the top two the last five years straight; having to run the gauntlet of elimination finals from third place would be a new experience for them.
The Hornets have made four changes. These previews prefer to focus on who will be playing rather than who won’t, but when the absentees include Lucy Pengelly, Jess Stallard and Emma Pittman, it leaves enough space in the room to be filled by a rather conspicuous elephant. However, the inclusions are wide runners Jaimie Bryant and Holly O’Flaherty, defender Eloise O’Connor, and midfielder Alanna Perry who lit up Aspley’s win over Bond in May. What elephant?
Similarly, Bond University has Queensland representatives Ari Clarke and Jasmyn Davidson available again, plus one of this year’s breakout stars in key forward Abbey Bevan.
Only once has a Grand Final rematch been held in Pride Round – in 2019 when Coorparoo kicked 22 goals to defeat Wilston Grange by 130 points.
MAROOCHYDORE v SOUTHPORT
Saturday 13 July 2024, 4pm at South Pine Sporting Complex, Brendale
Live stream with commentary on YouTube
Head-to-Head: Played 6 – Southport won 5; Maroochydore won 1
Last time they met: 11 May 2024 (Round 5) – Southport 12.13 (85) d Maroochydore 1.1 (7) at Fankhauser Reserve
Maroochydore and Southport are the two most in-form teams in the Bond University QAFLW. Discuss.
In terms of which teams are playing closest to their peak ability, the argument that this is the form match of Pride Round is strong.
The Roos resurgence that began in Round 8 with Leigh Redpath’s appointment saw them defeat UQ, Coorparoo and Yeronga and then stay in touch with Aspley for three quarters. They will be better for the experience of knowing that they can match it with a top three side for long periods.
Southport’s form is such that, in one sense, it doesn’t matter who they play; but that’s not how the Sharks think. Read coach Peter Doherty’s comments after their 54-point defeat of UQ last week and its clear that this is a team that respects and learns about every opponent.
Maroochydore has made five changes. Sara-Jane O’Grady’s absence will hurt but Arden Quilliam has shown in 2024 that she is a defender who could be striking fear into opposition forwards for years to come. Billie Missen and Lucy McEachen further strengthen the defence while Emily Casey and Claire Drake are routinely influential in and around the contest.
Hannah Davies returns for the Sharks after withdrawing late in Round 11, Avalon Pearce is a straight swap at ruck for Tayla Gregory, and Maddie Gault’s form in Reserve Grade has been too good not to earn a maiden top-grade match for the year.
The Bond University QAFLW stats nerds (i.e. the author) will again be on high alert for Megan Hunt’s 100th state league goal, but let that not distract from a match in which the new and improved Maroochydore will ask different questions of Southport than they have faced of late.
You can watch all matches in the Bond University QAFLW by visiting the Official AFLQ YouTube channel.
